FEBRUARY 10, 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

1. Marquette President reflects on his 15-year tenure

In his annual State of the University Address, Marquette President Robert A. Wild, S.J., Wednesday reflected on the changes he has seen during his 15-year tenure, crediting a better-defined mission with helping Marquette build donor enthusiasm, achieve student-centered improvements and creating a growing sense of promise.

Admitting he was “a bit naive” when he became president in 1996, Father Wild recalled the financial difficulties and leadership vacancies that faced him at that time. After a period of austerity, the university was again operating in the black, admissions were up and Marquette was attracting “new faculty with impressive research credentials.” Yet Father Wild felt the idea of students being at the heart of the university’s mission was not universally understood. He launched an effort to re-draft the university’s mission statement, presenting it in terms of four central values — excellence, faith, leadership and service. “Pretty soon everybody could recite those four words, a fact that has not been lost on visiting accrediting agencies,” he said.

Father Wild acknowledged that at times Marquette has “struggled as to how best to understand and live out our mission,” citing last spring’s discussion of Catholic identity and LGBT issues as they related to the Arts and Sciences dean search. He said a number of questions raised in that period still linger, and he pointed out various ways in which the issues are being addressed, including a recent Manresa for Faculty-sponsored all-day session on Catholicity and the Catholic university, conversations with UCLA Professor Ronni Sanlo and the work of the Gender Resource Task Force.

“That is what we have always been about at Marquette, or at least what we should always be about: ever improving our work as a Catholic, Jesuit university dedicated to serving God by serving our students and contributing to the advancement of knowledge,” he said. He said the chartering of the Ethnic Alumni Association and the work of the Gender Equity Task Force in 1999 were examples of when Marquette has “acted to encourage inclusivity.”

Recognizing the importance of funding the university’s educational commitments, Father Wild recalled the “rolling of the eyes” that occurred in 1998 when Marquette launched the Magis campaign with a goal of $225 million, a goal that was surpassed by more than $125 million. “That campaign was hugely important because it gave us confidence there really are a lot of people out there who care deeply about Marquette and who are willing to invest in the future of this university,” he said. Significant campus improvements and endowed scholarships, deanships and faculty chairs are the result of donors’ generosity, he said.

Father Wild said Marquette’s future “looks promising,” with revenues, applications and the endowment up. At the same time, “expenses rose significantly,” he said, particularly for student financial aid. He said his successor, Rev. Scott Pilarz, S.J., “continues to be pleased and excited about becoming Marquette’s 23rd president. He has told me that he sees potential everywhere, wonderful colleagues and a great community to get to know.”

2. “Drums, Dance and Song” to precede today’s Farmer keynote address

A multicultural performance of “Drums, Dance and Song” will precede today’s Mission Week keynote address by Dr. Paul Farmer in the Varsity Theatre. The performance combines the rhythm of different drums, dancing and choral groups by students, faculty, staff, alumni, members of local parishes and surrounding community, including members of One Drum, the University of Fine Arts School of Dance, St. Michaels and St. Rose parish choirs, the Kinsella Academy of Irish Dance, and the Marquette Capoeira Nago Brazilian dance group. The performance begins at 3:40 p.m. Doors to the Varsity Theatre lobby will open to ticket-holders at 3:10 p.m. Doors to the theatre will open at 3:30 p.m.

Walk-ins are welcome for the simulcast of the Mission Week keynote address at 4 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium. Farmer, who has helped revolutionize medical care to the poorest people on earth, will present “Imagine a More Just World: Partnering with the Poor” at 4 p.m. Tickets for his address in the Varsity Theatre are no longer available.

A reception for all attendees will follow in the AMU Monaghan Ballroom.

3. University will test text messaging system

All students, faculty and staff with university-owned cell phones or who registered their own personal phones through MyJob or CheckMarq will receive a message that says, “This is a TEST of the textMU system. This is only a TEST.” If you do not receive this message by 1:15 p.m., send an e-mail, including your cell phone number and your cell phone carrier, to security@marquette.edu. Speed of test message delivery may be affected by the user’s cell phone carrier.

The university will use the text messaging system, coordinated through the Department of Public Safety, when there is an imminent threat on campus. It will also be used in the event that severe weather causes class cancellations.

The text messaging system augments other forms of campus communication, including e-mail, voice mail, social media and/or the marquette.edu website, as the situation warrants.

All faculty and staff with university-owned cell phones have been automatically enrolled for text messages. Faculty and staff may also register their personal cell phone numbers in the “Personal Information” section of MyJob. Phone numbers submitted before 6 a.m. Feb. 18 will be included in the test.

The partnership, which replicates similar successful models in other parts of the state, gives Marquette students the opportunity to practice dentistry under the supervision of a preceptor, while providing high quality, low-cost dental care to underserved families in the Beloit area.

One third-year and one fourth-year Marquette dental student will work with patients on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week.

About half of the 180 dental patients the dental clinic sees each week are children. About 85 percent of the clinic’s patients receive Medicaid. The majority of the 15 percent not on Medicaid are uninsured and benefit from the center’s sliding fee schedule.

With the addition of the Beloit Clinic, Marquette dental students now have the opportunity to learn at seven community-based dental clinics, including three in Milwaukee that are operated by MUSoD.

5. Jesuit photojournalist to discuss his work with Native Americans tomorrow

Rev. Don Doll, S.J., professor of photojournalism at Creighton University and 2006 Nebraska Artist of the Year, will speak about his work as a photographer as it relates to Mission Week’s theme, “IMAGINEGOD,” Friday, Feb. 11, at 9 a.m. in Johnston 104. Father Doll, recipient of the Kodak Crystal Eagle award for Impact in Photojournalism and the Nikon World Understanding through Photography award, will discuss his work with Native Americans at “Finding a vocation in a vocation.”

This Mission Week event is sponsored by the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication.

6. Faculty to share how they arrived at their academic focus tomorrow

Dr. James Courtright, Dr. Allison Gerdes and Rev. Simon Harak, S.J., will share the paths they followed to their academic focus in a Mission Week “One Thing Led to Another,” tomorrow, Feb. 11, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Raynor Beaumier Suites BC.

• Courtright, professor of biological sciences, will present “Nature has great beauty and I was given admission to the great gallery of her creations”

• Father Harak, director of the Center for Peacemaking, will present “Journey to Non-Violence”

A free, light lunch will be served. RSVP to Jennie Schatzman, office coordinator. Walk-ins are also welcome. For more information contact Kathy Durben, director of project planning and development in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, at 8-5470; or Dr. Susan Mountin, director of Manresa for Faculty, at 8-3693.

Undergraduate and graduate students on student employee payroll, performing student employee jobs, are eligible. Students must have been employed for a minimum of three months full-time or six months part-time from June 1, 2010, to May 31, 2011. Students will be evaluated on reliability, quality of work, initiative, professionalism and uniqueness of contribution.

Marquette’s student employee of the year will also be nominated for the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrator’s Student Employee of the Year. Members will select one winner from each state in the region. State winners will be considered for the regional and national award. The award is in conjunction with Student Employment Week, April 4-8. In the past few years, Marquette students have won both the state and regional competition.

For more information contact Annette D’Amato, coordinator of student employment, at 8-4000.

9. Libraries conducting service quality survey

Raynor Memorial Libraries are conducting a survey to assess library service quality, collections, access and space. Individuals who received an e-mail invitation Feb. 7, from Janice Welburn, dean of libraries, are encouraged to complete the survey by Feb. 25. The e-mail subject line was “Library Survey--Your Opinion Matters.”

For more information contact Jean Zanoni, associate dean of libraries, at 8-5979.

10. Marquette hosting Peace Corps panel presentation

The Peace Corps at Marquette University will host a Peace Corps fellows panel presentation Wednesday, Feb. 16, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in AMU 254. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the benefits of the Peace Corps with volunteers who have lived and worked in international communities. For more information, contact Kirk Longstein, regional volunteer recruiter at the Peace Corps, at 312-353-9092.

The Integrative Neuroscience Research Center will host a lecture Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Schroeder Complex 256. Dr. Audrey Seasholtz, professor of biological chemistry at the University of Michigan Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, will present “Stress and depression: Roles for the CRH-binding protein?” For more information, contact Cathy Morrell, academic coordinator for biomedical sciences, at 8-7329.

13. A Mission Week prayer — Prayer for Compassion

On each day of Mission Week, a different poem is being offered to the campus community for reflection. Instead of a traditional prayer or reflection, these poems are suggested as ways to explore one’s religious imagination.

News Briefs is published for Marquette students, faculty and staff every Monday and Thursday, except during summer and academic breaks when only the Monday edition is published. The deadline for the Monday edition is noon Friday. The deadline for the Thursday edition is noon Wednesday. Highest priority notices as determined by university leadership are also sent periodically.